The pupil expander of my application Ser. No. 07/836,361, comprises a ring of silicone or other suitable soft plastic tubular material (e.g. Silastic .RTM. silicone, Dow Corning, durometer value of about 80) with an outside diameter of 8.2 millimeters and an inside diameter of 7.0 millimeters. The ring has a "C" cross section configuration with a peripheral opening at the outside edge. The ring is incomplete with approximately a 3.5 millimeter gap to permit surgical maneuvers within it, and that gap is bridged by a strap between the open ends of the ring. There are also two tabs with holes, which are used for manipulation of the device inside and outside the eye.
The method of use of this pupil expander comprises the moving of the pupil expander, which is inserted into the anterior chamber of the eye through a previously prepared scleral incision. The expander is advanced across the anterior chamber until the flared end of the expander engages the iris at a 6 o'clock position. A spatula or lens manipulator is used to hold the expander in place against the iris sphincter while the forceps tips are partially withdrawn. The tips are then closed on the expander, and the tips are advanced into the eye causing the expander to enlarge horizontally engaging additional iris. The tips are then withdrawn an additional millimeter or two, and the above maneuver is repeated until the expander has been advanced onto the sphincter and the pupil has been gradually dilated. When the forceps have been withdrawn until they are opposite the tabs on the expander, the handle is lifted pushing the tips and the contained expander down toward the lens permitting the tabs to come down against the iris and completing the placement of the expander entirely within the pupil.
When the surgical maneuvers are completed, a small scissors is used to cut the silicone strap joining the ends of the pupil expander, and a forceps is used to lift one end of the expander by grasping the tab and moving it toward the center and lifting it to disengage the iris. Once one edge has been disengaged from the sphincter, the expander can simply be pulled from the eye under a layer of viscoelastic material.
Because of the extremely small size of the pupil expander, the handling thereof is very delicate and sensitive, and ordinary forceps are not adapted for easily handling thereof. In addition, the strap of the ring sometimes gets in the way of grasping the pupil expander for removal thereof from a carrier device.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide means for easily grasping and manipulating the pupil expander of my co-pending application.
A further object of the invention is to provide a carrier means for storage of the pupil expander which facilitates the elongation and ultimate removal of the pupil expander therefrom at the time of use thereof.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.